


smile like you mean it

by vancityreynolds



Series: nevmax au's [1]
Category: Catfish: The TV Show
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Photography, Road Trips, Sharing a Bed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-11
Updated: 2015-05-11
Packaged: 2018-03-30 01:58:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,734
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3918610
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vancityreynolds/pseuds/vancityreynolds
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's always fun when you get paired up for a summer project with someone who you absolutely despise.</p>
<p>or the one where nev hates max and they have to spend a summer together for photography class</p>
            </blockquote>





	smile like you mean it

Nev couldn't stop thinking about what his previous teacher had just said. Working with Max. Great summer project. Friends. Friends. Friends. The word played over and over in his head, feeling like a nightmare. The only kid he hated in school and he got paired up with him. Now he's going to have to spend a whole summer with the kid. Great. Nev didn't know why he hated the kid, he just did. Something about the kid irks him. Nev was popular so he hated pretty much anyone who wasn't in his friends circle. Which leaves pretty much the whole school, except for his brother and a close friend. Max was a shy character, an introvert, who was now paired up with a kid with the complete opposite personality of his. Loud, boisterous and always first with anything. Max was quiet, restrained and usually last at anything. Last in sports, last to finish a test, last in the lunch line and last to leave college at the end of the day.

"Just admit it. We're lost. We've been gone for what? Fifteen minutes? And we're already fucking lost." Max wasn't even paying attention to Nev's constant moaning anymore, he could bang on and on about how much he hates this trip but Max couldn't care less. He rolled his eyes for what must have been the umpteenth time in the last five minutes before pulling over to the side of the road. "Well, if you're so smart and you know what you're doing, get the map that you said you would bring and show me where the fuck we are!" Never in Max's life had he ever raised his voice. He didn't know what to do. Should I apologize? "We're supposed to be here but instead, your crappy driving got us all the way here. Well done, douche bag." Max looked up and realized - yeah, they were lost. "It's not completely my fault! Your constant moaning and groaning probably made me miss all the turnoff signs I needed to take, asshole." He wasn't supposed to say that last word. He didn't want to, he knew what would happen. But the word just slipped out of his mouth effortlessly. "You better watch your mouth or I'll dump you at the side of the road. Got it?" Max nodded, his head facing the ground. He was scared now, maybe ashamed too, but there was a definite and prominent feeling of fear. Max sighed and started the engine again. Max didn't care whether the location that they were supposed to be on was North, East, South or West of them - it could be on the moon for all he cares - he just wanted to get somewhere. "Look, this project isn't gonna finish itself, so let's just drive until we find something that we can use." Nev considered Max's proposition for a moment before making a gesture with his hand that seemed to say, 'fine whatever.'. Max started the engine again, and pulled out onto the empty road, driving with no set destination.

To be honest, he's never really given the idea of driving on an empty road with a person who hates your guts any chance. He doesn't really hate Nev that much, he's not that bad a kid - well, other than him calling him names, he's pretty decent. He's smart, witty - he's got a damn nice smile, like really nice - and even if it pains him to admit it, he's kinda cute. Nev hasn't noticed yet - and he goddamn hopes he won't anytime soon - but Max has been making sideways glances at Nev this whole trip. Mostly, he's just been staring at the back of Nev's head as Nev's more interested in the scenery around him than Max at the moment. "Hey, look there's something!" Nev's photography senses are at an all-time high right now as he turns round to Max and flashes him that damn nice smile. He's smiling. At Max. That's a first. Max pulls over and Nev clambers out the vehicle grabbing his camera as he goes. Max grabs his camera and follows Nev at a slower pace, watching in awe at the boisterous kid running in the field and he finds it so god damn beautiful and he doesn't know why. "It's beautiful isn't it. Just utterly beautiful." Nev turned his camera on and took a picture. He waited for the picture to load before showing Max. "This is gonna look great on the collage." He's, again, smiling. Max thinks it's more beautiful than the picture he just took, but he's not going to say that out loud. He'd probably get a punch to the face if he said that, which he'd rather not happen.

"We better be heading back to the car, we've got way more pictures to take." Nev nodded and turned to walk back to the car. "Hey.. ahem.. y'know.. I'm kinda.. um.. sorry about.. uh.. everything I ever.. uh.. said.. to.. um.. you.. so.. yeah.." Nev scratched the back of head, feeling a sense of relief. He's only now realized the kid ain't that bad. Other than the fact that Max called him an asshole earlier, he's not really annoyed Nev as such. "Thanks? I guess.." Max didn't know what to say. Did Nev just apologize to him? For real? He must be dreaming. Never in a million years would Nev Schulman apologize to him.

Nev quietened down for the rest of the next four-and-a-half hours. Max contemplated asking him if he was okay but he didn't. He thought Nev might snap at him or something, which is the last thing Max wanted right now. He was on a total Nev high right now. He apologised, he smiled at him and was being nice. A word he never thought of associating with Nev. He glanced over at Nev again just at a moment he wished he could take a photograph of. A smile was forming at the corner of Nev's lips. Something was on his mind and Max thought, just for a second, that it could be him. It would never happen of course, but he could dream.

Soon, after five hours of switching between Nev driving and Max driving, they found a motel. "They better have two beds, I swear to god." Nev grumbled as he turned the car into the car park. Max secretly hoped for one - maybe because he's slightly developed a little crush on him - but it would probably be two beds.

"Nev, if you wanted two beds, I'd suggest you get a refund on the room." "Are you fucking kidding me?" Max shrugged his shoulders but forced himself not to smile. "Hey, it's a good bonding experience." "Shut up." "You gotta smile sometime Nev.". A fake smile was now plastered on Nev's face. "Smile like you mean it, god damn it man.". Nev laughed quietly and under his breath. He wasn't going to admit he found it cute when Max almost swore. Not directly to his face, but in his head he did. Most of this trip - that he thought was going to be hell - has turned out alright. He hasn't even called his brother once to tell him it's been terrible - which is a surprise.

"Hey.. man.. you awake?" Max grumbled and turned slightly. "Hey.. can I.. uh.. tell you something?" Max perked up slightly hoping for his dream to come true. "What I.. um.. said earlier.. I meant it.. y'know.. for real?" "Mmhm.. I know.." Nev smiled a little. Nev coughed slightly, feeling a little nervous about his next words. Nev turned round in the bed and coughed again, slightly louder. Max groaned and turned round in his sleep - he cared a little if this was Nev admitting he was in love with him, but he was so comfy in that position. "Sit up a second." Max rolled his eyes and slowly sat up, trying to regain full consciousness. "Hey, if you're gonna be a dick about me trying to tell you something, you can do this fucking project on your own." "Sorry, I'm just really tired." Nev sighed and gulped before smiling slightly. Max smiled slightly too. Hey, Nev's cute when he smiles and it's a pretty damn nice smile. Nev motioned for him to move a little closer. They were now so close, Max could taste Nev's breath. Mint with a hint of orange. God damn it. Nev gulped again. Was he nervous? Scared?  "Look, this is.. uh.. my first time.. doing what I'm.. uh.. about to do.. so don't blame me.. if it goes horribly wrong so.. uh.. yeah.." Nev looked into Max's eyes for a slight second before he scooted back a bit on their shared bed. "Don't worry about it." It's probably my first time too. Max should've said those last six words out loud but he didn't. More pressure on Nev would be the worst thing to do right now.

Nev scooted back forward a little. He moved his head closer to Max's. Is this really happening? Is he about to kiss me? Really? Truly? Nev's lips were soon locked with Max's. Max could taste his breath. No alcohol to drown out how drunk he was getting off of Nev's lips. Nev could taste Max's breath and it was terrible but he didn't care. He felt on cloud nine right now. He was getting so high off this kiss. Nev tried to re-enact what he saw his brother do a couple of months back. He parted Max's lips, electrifying the kiss. Max pulled away suddenly. He blushed slightly before looking at a now disheartened Nev. "Sorry, I.. uh.. got a little.. um.. nervous there." He stuttered over his words. He had goosebumps and the hairs on his neck were standing up. He leaned forward and planted a sweet, innocent and quick kiss to Nev's cheek. Nev smiled and lay down. Max smiled and slumped down slightly, letting Nev's head rest on his bare chest. "Hey, quick question?" Max hummed and looked down at Nev. "Do we have to wake up tomorrow?" "Not if you don't want to babe." He contemplated actually saying the last word but he didn't care. He's dating Nev now, so he's probably going to call him that twenty-four-seven from now on. Nev smiled and snuggled in closer to Max, who slumped down more and lay down properly. "This. This is perfect."

 


End file.
